Watch for indicating time of two geographic zones

ABSTRACT

BESIDES THE CONVENTIONAL HOUR HAND, THE WATCH COMPRISES AN EXTRA HOUR HAND DRIVEN TOGETHER WITH THE CONVENTIONAL HOUR HAND BY THE MOTION WORK, BUT WHICH CAN BE SET SEPARATELY BY THE STEM WHEN THE LATTER IS IN AN INTERMEDIATE AXIAL POSITION. A WINDING AND HAND-SETTING MECHANISM OF CONVENTIONAL TYPE ENSURES WINDING AND SETTING THE CONVENTIONAL HANDS TOGETHER WITH EXTRA   HOUR HAND IN THE USUAL MANNER, IN THE INTERMEDIATE CONTROL POSITION OF THE STEM THE CLUTCH WHEEL MESHES ONLY WITH AN AXTRA SETTING PINION ACTUATING THE EXTRA HOUR HAND AND HAVING TEETH LONGER THAN THE CONVENTIONAL SETTING PINION.

WATCH FOR INDICATING TIME OF TWO GEOGRAPHIC ZONES Filed Feb. 17, 1970 1971 JEAN-LOUIS E. BOREL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1

INVENTOR JEAN-LOUIS E. BOREL J TORNEY Oct. 12, 1971 Filed Feb. 17, 1970 JEAN'LOUIS E. BOREL WATCH FOR INDICATING TIME OF TWO GEOGRAPHIC LONIIS 2 Sheets-Sheet Z INVENTOR JEAN-LOUIS E. BOREL WTTORNEYS United States Patent 3,611,703 WATCH FOR INDICATING TIME OF TWO GEOGRAPHIC ZONES Jean-Louis E. Borel, Nenchatel, Switzerland, assignor to Synchron S.A. Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland Filed Feb. 17, 1970, Ser. No. 12,046

Claims priority, application Switzerland, Feb. 20, 1969,

,580/ 69 Int. Cl. G04b 19/22 US. Cl. 58--42.5 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Besides the conventional hour hand, the watch comprises an extra hour hand driven together with the conventional hour hand by the motion work, but which can be set separately by the stem when the latter is in an intermediate axial position. A winding and hand-setting mechanism of conventional type ensures winding and setting the conventional hands together with the extra hour hand in the usual manner. In the intermediate control position of the stem the clutch wheel meshes only with an extra setting pinion actuating the extra hour hand and having teeth longer than the conventional setting pinion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention This invention relates to watches for indicating time of two geographic zones and in particular to watches having an extra hour hand driven together with the conventional hands by the motion work, but which can be set separately, setting the hands being ensured by a mechanism of conventional type including a clutch wheel controlled by a winding and hand-setting stern having a third axial position of control in addition to the two axial positions provided for controlling winding the watch and setting the conventional hands.

(2) Description .of the prior art In the known watches of this type, the third axial position of control of the winding end hand-setting stem is situated beyond the usual setting position. As a consequence thereof, the mechanism controlled by that stem has to be conceived in such a manner that the clutch Wheel remains at rest when the stem is pulled from the usual setting position in the setting position of the extra hour hand. This result can obviously not be obtained unless the setting lever and the yoke actuating the clutch Wheel under the control of the setting lever are given quite particular shapes. In other words, the known watches of the type considered here have the drawback that numerous more or less important modifications have to be made with respect to a standard watch having no extra hour hand.

The problem of the invention is to provide a watch which comprises an extra hour hand that can easily be obtained from a standard caliper with a minimum of modifications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned problem is solved according to the invention by providing the third control position of the stern between the two other control positions, the clutch wheel thus being in an intermediate axial position when the stem is in its third control position, the clutch wheel then meshing only with an extra setting pinion actuating the extra hour hand.

The fact of carrying out the setting operation of the extra hour hand in an axial position of the stem which is 3,611,703 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 comprised between the winding position and the usual hand-setting position has as a consequence that no modification of the main pieces of the winding and hand-setting mechanism, i.e. the setting lever and the yoke, is required.

Particular objects of the invention will still become apparent in the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The movement 1 of the watch represented in the drawing is a usual movement of a calendar watch comprising a date-ring 2 mounted for rotary motion around a fixing plate 3, the date indications appearing in a window 4 provided in dial 5.

Winding this movement and setting the hands are ensured by means of a stem 6 which is mounted for rotary and shifting motion in movement 1. An axial displacement of stem 6 actuates the setting lever 7 which cooperates with a yoke 8 set under the action of a spring 9. Yoke 8 actuates the clutch wheel 10 set on a square portion 11 of stem 6 which, moreover, carries a usual winding wheel 12. A bridge 13 holding yoke 8 and spring 9 in place carries a resilient arm 14 serving as a setting lever spring. Three notches 15, 16, 17 are provided at the end of this arm for cooperation with a stud 18 carried by the setting lever 7. By means of the latter, the three notches 15, 16, 17 determine the winding position, a first and a second setting position, respectively, of stem 6. When the latter is rotated in the first setting position, the extra hour hand 19 moves alone, and when rotating the stem 6 in the second setting position, the conventional hour hand 20 and the minute hand 21 move together with the extra hour hand 19.

It will be observed by the way that the presence of the extra hour hand 19 does not involve the manufacture of a new setting lever spring 13, 14. The spring of the embodiment represented in the drawing is the setting lever spring of the standard caliper without extra hour hand. The intermediate notch 16 has merely been provided without modifying the two other notches 15, 17. The total stroke of stem 6 in the axial direction has thus not been modified while passing from the standard caliper to the embodiment described. Passing from the standard caliper to the watch according to the invention does consequently not involve any modification either of the stem or of the framework, or of the watchcase tube, or of the winding and hand-setting crown.

The two conventional hands 20 and 21 are carried as usually by a cannon pinion 22 and a conventional hour wheel 23 freely set on cannon pinion 22. The cannon pinnion 22 and the hour wheel 23 mesh with a minute wheel 24 and a pinion 25, respectively, secured to the minute wheel.

The extra hour hand 19 is itself carried by an extra hour wheel 26 freely set on the conventional hour wheel 23.

Setting hand 19 is enabled by the fact that the extra hour wheel 26 meshes with a gear similar to the minute wheel 24 and comprising a pinion 27 and a wheel 28.

The connection between the clutch wheel 10 and the wheels 24 and 28 provided for setting the hands 19, 20, 21 is ensured by a gear comprising the three toothings 29,

30, and 31, this gear being set at the place of the usual setting pinion. The lower toothing 29 (FIG. 2) is provided on a piece comprising a tubular projection 32. This projection serves as a pivot for a ring carrying toothing 30 and being idly mounted on projection 32. A ring carrying toothing 31 is set with force fit on an end portion of projection 32 in order to retain ring 30 axially in place on its bearing surface.

The toothings 29, 30, and 31 have the same pitch. FIG. 2 shows that the teeth of toothing 30 extend across a part 30a of conventional diameter and a part 3% having a reduced diameter. FIG. 2 shows furthermore that part 30a only of toothing 30 meshes with the minute wheel 24. As a matter of fact, part 30a has the same sizes as the setting pinion of the standard caliper. Passing from that standard caliper to the embodiment represented in the drawing does accordingly not modify either the gear ratio or the meshing conditions of the minute wheel and the pinion meshing therewith.

The part 30b of reduced diameter has been provided in order that the clutch wheel 10 does not reach the toothing 30 when stud 18 of the setting lever 7 is caught by the intermediate notch 16. The toothing 30 is cut with dividing head as usual in milling pinions; a cam need only be provided in order that the milling-cutter moves toward the pinion axis when it comes opposite part 30b previously lathe-turned at the desired diameter. The milling-cutter used for milling the toothing 30 is exactly the same as that used for milling the toothing of the setting pinion of the standard caliper. The tooth profile in part 30a of the toothing is consequently conventional. Moreover, the gaps between the teeth are overall the same. The teeth themselves are, however, narrower in part 3% of reduced diameter.

Toothing 31 meshes with wheel 28 under the same conditions as the conventional part 30a of toothing 30 meshes with the minute wheel 24.

In contradistinction thereto, toothing 29 which has the same foot diameter as part 30b of toothing 30, comprises teeth longer than those of part 30b. Only the tips of the teeth of toothing 29 are given the conventional ogi-val shape in order to prevent these teeth from breaking. Their flanks are parallel in order to avoid jamming with the clutch wheel 10 in the conventional setting position.

A conventional spring 33 is inserted between dial 5 and the extra hour wheel 26 thus causing the latter to be pressed onto the conventional hour wheel 23 bearing itself on the toothed collet of the cannon pinion 22. In addition to the usual function consisting in avoiding fioating of the hour wheel, spring 33 forms part of a clutch provided between the two hour wheels 23 and 26. That clutch, moreover, comprises, on the one hand, a row of twelve equidistant holes 34 provided in wheel 23 and, on the other hand, two studs 35 carried by wheel 26.

During the normal run of the watch spring 33 is strong enough in order to keep studs 35 engaging a pair of holes 34 thus causing the extra hour wheel to be driven together with the conventional hour wheel 23, which is driven itself in the usual manner by means of the cannon pinion 22, the minute wheel 24 and the pinion 25.

In the position represented in the drawing, stem 6 has been pushed in its innermost axial position of control. Stud 18 of the setting lever is caught by notch 15 of the setting lever spring 14. The setting lever 7 permits the yoke 8 to hold the clutch wheel 10 in meshing relation with the winding wheel 12 under the action of spring 9. The position represented in the drawing is accordingly the usual winding position.

A first pulling action exerted on stem 6 in the position of the drawing causes the setting lever 7 to rock clockwise around its screw 36 thus moving stud 18 from notch 15 into notch 16 of the setting lever spring 14. Simultaneously, the setting lever 7 bears on the free end of yoke 8 and moves the latter against the action of spring 9 thus shifting the clutch wheel 10 into an intermediate position along the square portion 11 of the stem. In this intermediate position the ratchet toothing of the clutch wheel is remote from the corresponding toothing of the winding wheel 12. Moreover, the toothing 37 of the clutch wheel 10 meshes with toothing 29 but not yet with toothing 30. Upon rotating stem 6 in this first setting position, the clutch wheel 10 thus only drives toothing 29 and toothing 31 rigidly connected to toothing 29. Toothing 30, on the contrary, remains at rest so that the rotation of stem 6 will not be transmitted to the conventional hour hand 20 and the minute hand 21 of the watch. Toothing 31 in turn drives the extra hour wheel 29 carrying hand 19, which can thus be set separately without disturbing the position of the conventional watch hands. During this setting operation, the rounded heads of studs 35 carried by the hour wheel 26 obviously leave the holes 34 of the hour wheel 23 thereby bending spring 33. Since there are twelve holes 34 regularly staggered around the watch axis, the user will hear a tick every time he will have moved hand 19 through a full hour with respect to hand 20. Clutch 33, 34, 35 has moreover the advantage of ensuring a proper setting of hand 19 relative to hand 20.

The first setting position of stem 6 thus serves only to modify the difference between the two times indicated by the watch. If stem 6 is then pushed into its winding position, the hands 19 and 20 will be driven in concert by the motion work while keeping the difference which has been set therebetween.

If stem 6 is, on the contrary, pulled from its first setting position, the setting lever 7 will again rock clockwise around its screw 36 thus moving stud 18 opposite notch 17 of the setting lever spring 14. During this second displacement the setting lever 7 further thrusts yoke 8 against the action of spring 9 thus moving the clutch wheel 10 into its innermost position in which toothing 37 now not only meshes with toothing 29 but also with toothing 30.

In order to permit the described shifting motion of the clutch wheel, the teeth 37 must obviously be long enough in order to leave teeth 29 free against jamming when the 4 clutch wheel 10 is shifted into its innermost position.

The clutch wheel and the setting wheel are accordingly the only pieces of the standard caliper which have to be replaced in order to pass from that standard caliper to the embodiment described heretofore.

Upon rotating stem 6 in this second setting position, the clutch wheel 10 will actuate the whole gear set at the place of the standard setting pinion so that wheels 24 and 28 both will be driven. The ratios of the gears 23, 26, 24, 25 and 27, 28 are obviously chosen in such a manner that the two wheels 23 and 26 rotate at the same speed under the control of stem 6. A rotation of stem 6 in its second setting position does accordingly not modify tlge angle comprised between the two hour hands 19 and 2 'As a consequence of the method resorted to as disclosed heretofore in the manufacture of teeth 30, the toothing 37 of the clutch wheel 10 cannot strike on the tips of teeth 30 when stem 6 is pulled into its second setting position.

The extra hour hand does obviously not prevent the watch movement from being equipped with a sweep second 39 carried by the arbor 38 of a usual fourth wheel (not shown) of the movement.

To obtain the movement disclosed upon merely modifying a standard caliper, it sufiices to replace the setting pinion and the clutch wheel as indicated hereabove, to provide an additional notch on the setting lever spring, to provide the twelve holes 34 and to set a pin in the baseplate of the movement for pivoting gear 27, 28. Finally, this gear 27, 28 as well as the extra hour wheel 26 have further to be set in place. In a calendar watch these two additional gears can be set in cut-outs of plate 3 of the calendar mechanism.

Driving these two additional gears during the normal run of the watch does not constitute a substantial overload of the movement. These gears ha've conventional toothings and they mesh only with gears having conventional toothings. The particular toothings 29, 30b and 37 become only operative when setting the hands. The additional friction which could derive from those particular toothings, are immaterial, because they are controlled by hand and not by the watch movement, Spring 33 can finally be chosen weak'enough in order to leave the cannon pinion 22 at rest when setting hand 19 separately in the first setting position of stem 6.

What is claimed is:

1. A watch for indicating time of two geographic zones comprising, in combination, a conventional hour hand, a minute hand, an extra hour hand, a motion works driving said three hands in concert, a first setting pinion rotating together with said conventional hour hand and said minute hand, a second setting pinion rotating together with said extra hour hand, and a setting mechanism includi'ng a stem mounted for rotary and shifting motion and having three control positions axially set apart from each other, a shiftable clutch wheel rigidly connected to said stem for rotary motion and lever means operatively connecting said stem to said clutch Wheel for shifting the latter together with the stern, said lever means holding said clutch wheel in a first extreme position in meshing relation with said first and said second setting pinion when said stem is in its outermost control position, in a second extreme position remote from said setting pinions when said stem is in its innermost control position, and in an intermediate position in meshing relation only with said second setting pinion when said stem is itself in its intermediate control position.

2. A watch according to claim 1, said first and said secoiid setting pinions being coaxial and carrying toothings having the same pitch, said second setting pinion having teeth longer than those of said first setting pinion.

3. A watch according to claim 2, said first setting pinion being idly mounted on said second setting pinion.

4. A watch according to claim 2, said second setting pinion having a tubular projection, said first setting pinion being idly mounted on said tubular projection, a toothed ring being set with force fit on said tubular projection and holding said first setting pinion axially in place thereon, said toothed ring being connected to said extra hour hand.

'5. A watch according to claim 4, said motion works including a cannon pinion carrying said minute hand, a conventional hour wheel carrying the conventional hour hand, a minute wheel meshing with said cannon pinion and carrying a pinion meshing with said conventional hour wheel, and an extra hour Wheel carrying said extra hour wheel, said first setting pinion meshing with said minute wheel and Said toothed ring actuating said extra hour wheel.

6. A watch according to claim 5, the toothing of said first setting pinion being provided on two different axial portions of the pinion, a first portion having a conventional diameter and a second portion having a reduced diameter,

the tooth gaps being overall the same, said first portion meshing with said minute wheel and said second portion being engaged by said clutch wheel when said stem is in its outermost control position.

7. A watch according to claim 5, further comprising clutching means arranged between said conventional hour Wheel and said extra hour Wheel.

8. A watch according to claim 7, said conventional and said extra hour wheel being set on one another, said clutching means comprising a row of twelve holes provided in one of said hour wheels and a stud being set in the other hour wheel and having a rounded head portion protruding from said other hour wheel, spring means pressing said hour Wheels against one another in a direction parallel to their axis of rotation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,777,281 1/1957 Berry 5885.5 3,276,201 10/1966 Peacock 5885.5 3,318,085 5/ 1967 Lee 58-855 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner E. C. SIMMONS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 58-43, 85.5 

